Plastic composition and process of producing it.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

rnrrz AIID ADOLF ROLLETT, OI SCHWANK Em-OH-THE-HAIH, GERMANY, ASSIG-I'OIIS THE m 01' CHEMISOHE FABRIK GBEISHEm-ELEKTBOH, F mBT-ON-THE-HAIH, GERMANY, A CORPORATION OF GERMANY.

PLABTIC COMPOSITION AND PROCESS 01' PRODUCING IT.

1,241,738. I lam-ails To all whom may concern:

Be it known that we, Fsrrz KLA'I'I'E and Anon Roma-1T, the first a subject of the German Emperor and the second a subject 5 of the Austrian Emperor, and both residents of Schwanheim-on-t e-Main, Germany, have invented certain new and use Improvements in Plastic Compositions and Processes of Producing Them, of which the following is a 'fication.

ccording to this invention new materials which are useful in the arts are obtained from vinyl esters, such as vinyl halids or vinyl esters of organic acids, or mixtures thereof, the said new materials having properties varying accordin to the initial matter, or matters employs and the conditions under which the operations are carried out. This invention consists in polymerizing, by exposing to light, or heat or otherwise, a vinyl-ester (for exampl the vinyl ester of an acetic acidoompoun such as the vinyl ester of acetic acid or of mono-chlor-acetic whereby solid masses which may be as car as glass and colorless are obtained, these masses having properties which render them useful in the arts, for instance the constitute ex ent subs 'tutes for celluloicz orlikesu The {meriaation may be eifected in any auitab e manner, for instance, by lighting, or heiaoting zrby heating together with, we have i lind that the polymerization stances which act catalytica y. As catalysts we may use for instance, an organic roxid, an ozonid, an organic acid a ydri in conjunction with oxygen, or an ageing giving oil 40 oxy a rate, a percar nate, or a met l hxid or instance a silver oxid.

The catalyst will act not onlylas an $00616? rater of the reaction, but will ave more, or less, efiect on the properties of the ,roducts obtained. We can therefore :11 ify the properties of the products by the employment of ,difierent catalysts.

The following examples illustrate how this invention can be performed but it is I50. not limited to these examples.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application fled July 3, 181k Ierlal ll'o. 848.080.

can be greatlyaccelerated b the use of sub- Patented Oct. 2, 191 7.

Example I.

Vinyl acetate (or vin lmono-chlor-acetate) is exposed in a suitab e vessel to the action of direct sunlight, or to rays of an artificial light, for instance those of a mercury vapor lamp. The polymerization products, which form more or less rapidly in accordance with the intensity of illumination and the temperature, are. solid, colorless and transparent celluloid like masses which are odorless and can be turned, cut, planed, and otherwise manipulated to form various articles. The solid masses obtained can be rendered plastic in hot water and then be molded and, after cooling, the mass becomes again hard, orsolid. In order to obtain special efiects the initial materials may be mixed, prior to exposure to light, with other bodies or con- .ditionin a nts, such, for instance, as camphor, co oring matters or the like.

vEsmmple II.

1 kilogram of vinyl chlor-acetate is mixed with from 0.5 to 1 gram peroxid of benzoyl and carefully heated in a large vessel provided with a reflux condenser. At from 80 to 100 centigrade the polymerization takes place, while the temperature rises rapidly. At this time care should be taken to cool the reaction vessel. The engflgyof the reaction may be modified by uting the reaction liquid with an indifferent solvent;

for instance, in the resent example, about 300 grams of chloroenzene. can be used.

The reaction product is a viscous syrupy mass, which can be further treated in various ways, for instance by exposing to light the mass without a diluent, the aforesaid valuable solid'masses' being obtained as the remainin unaltered vinyl ester polymerizes. The soli masses can also be obtained by distillation in vacuo from them and any diluent that may have been added.

The masses resulting from polymerization can immediately (2'. a. in the state they have been obtained) be made into useful articles. It is possible to obtain the required articles if, for instance, the polymerization be carried out while the initial material is in a 100 suitable mold, for instance one of glass, so that the articles, for example umbrella handles, are obtained directly from the mold. Or if desired the macs may be worked to the required shape by softening the mass and, after shaping it, evaporating the solvent.

If the polymerization products be obtained, for instance, by heating, they can be Worked into the re uired shapes in various-ways, for examp e, they can be softened and kneaded, rolled, compressed, drawn, into wires or the like, or the masses can be mixed with additional substance, and rolled into plates, or films, or they may be pressed into the required shapes such as buttons, combs, and the like. The said solid masses can be worked by cutting, sawing, filing, or the like, whether they be obtained directly by polymerization, or after special treatment of the polymerization masses.

The objects made of solid polymerization products can, like celluloid, be olished, and parts be connected together y smearing with a suitable solvent, such as acetone, epi-chlor-hydrin, or the corresponding vinyl ester By dissolving the polymerization product in a suitable solvent and evaporating the solvent, it is possible to manufacture useful articles of the most varied nature for instance films. Moreover it is possible from the highly viscous solutions obtained by the incomplete polymerization of the initial matters to separate out, by means of recipitating agents such as alcohol, or at er, the polymerized product as a plastic mass and to make the required articles from this. Likewise the spinning, or squirting, of the viscous solution into a precipitating liquor enables the polymerization product to be obtained in t e orm of threads.

By the ad ition of suitable matters such as organic a ids, alcohols, esters (for instance cellulose acetate) or oils, bodies in powder, such as ZnO, and

ified in many ways. Thus it is possible to produce instead of hard glass-like masses, also soft and flexible masses. Likewise, by the addition of suitable coloring means, it is ossible to produce masses, or ob'ects, havmg any desired color efiects. e incorporation of the additions can be effected either before, or during, the polymerizing proce, or the additions can be made to the already formed polymerization products in a suitable condition.

As the solid products are bad conductors of electricityflhey can be used as insulating material. special advantage is that the articles made from the polymerization products can at the time of making, have imthe like, the groperties of the mass obtained can be mo parted to them the most varied valuable properties as required. Further advantages are the extraordinary fire proof character of the masses and articles produced therefrom and their perfect odorlessness which properties are important in view of the readily inilalmmable character of articles made of celu ose.

Emample I I I Vinyl acetate, (or vinyl chlor-acetate) is exposed to natural, or artificial, light until a syrupy, and mobile liquid is produced. This liquid is then poured, or spread in thin layers and the still unchan ed ester is partly evaporated, and by furt er exposure to 11%1'111, allowed to polymerize. In this way co orless films of a celluloid-like nature are obtained.

It is also possible to dissolve the solid polymerization products, obtained in accordance with Example I, in acetylene tetrachlorid, or ethylidene di-acetate, until they form a thick syrup-like li uid, and to pour, or spread, them out in a t in layer. After evaporatin the solvent, celluloid-like films are obtame By additions of various kinds to the syrupy liquids the properties and appearance of the products can be modified as uired.

e have further found that the products resulting from the polymerization of organic vinyl esters can be used for coating, painting, or impregnatiugtgiurposes, either efore, or immediately a of suitable solvents.

If the polymerization of an organic vinyl ester, for instance vmyl-mono-ch or-acetate, be carried out in an incomplete manner, a syrupy solution of the polymerization product in still unchanged vinyl ester, is obtamed. The product thus obtained can be utilized either directly, or along with other solvents, or diluents, for the production of substances to be used for'coatin painting, or impregnating, purposes. If, or instance, a porous substance such aswood, paper, textile fabric, artificial stone, or the like, be coated with the said syrupy solution or be impregnated therewith, very resistant coatmgs and impregnations are obtained on completing the polymerization of the coatmg, painting, or impregnation. for instance by exposing the article to artificial, or natural, light, or by heating it, 'or by employing both light and heat. In this case a portion of the unchanged vinyl ester in the syrupy solution is evaporated while another portion is converted into the solid polymerization product. The articles thus treated have imparted to them very high resistance to external influences theybeing for example capable of resisting the action of water, acids, alkalis and atmospheric changes.

mamas substances or the like and the mixture be made into the proper shape and the unchanged vinyl esters in the articles be converted, by suitable polymerization, into the insoluble solid final product.

It is also possible to start from solid, semi-solid, or plastic, polymerization products of the vinyl esters, these being softened by heating them by themselves, or with suitable solvents, and using them in their softened state. On cooling, or on the evaporation of the diluent that may still be present the product is converted into the solid, lacquer-like form.

Likewise the polymerization products of the vinyl esters can be dissolvedina suitable solvent and be used as a lacquer. If for instance 6 grams of polymerized vinyl acetate .be dissolvedin 100 cubic centimeters of ethyl acetate, a dipping lacquer of excellent qualities is obtained.

- By dissolving grams of the polymerized vinyl chlor-acetate in v of soot lene tetrachlorid a solution is obtained whic canbe directly used for lacquering. Instead of using acetylene tetrachlorid, orethyl acetate, by itself, solvents, especially mixtures of solvents, can also be employed which have difierent boiling points. Thus kctones.

and esters of all kinds, also di-chlor-ethylene, trichlor-ethane, ethylene chlorid, acetylene tetrachlorid and the like cambe used for this purpose. To mixtures of two, or more, of these solvents there may be also added, in the production of lacquer solutions, liquids which do not possess by themselves, any power of dissolving the polymerized products such as, for instance, hydrocarbons, chloro benzene and the like.

It is obvious that mixtures of various polymerized vinyl esters can be used for a ueri aintin or im re atin in accor nce wiih thi invent iorf It is likewise obvious that the wholly, orpartly, polymerized esters can be mixed wit 'able additional substances to modify the properties of the lacquering, painting, or impregnating, materials in any desired'manner. As additions of this kind we mention oils, (such, for instance, as castor oil), dyes,

' powdered substances, (such as zinc-0nd) pimphor, and camphor substitutes and the e. v 7 If, instead of organic vinyl esters, vinyl halide, for instance vinyl chlorid, or vinyl bromid, be polymerized, masses are obtained which are not industrially utilizable, they being opaque, porous, and chalk-like and readily crumbling to a white powder.

In accordance with this invention it is however possible to obtain from these valuesuit-- 1 masses valuable products if the said masses be dissolved, or softened, in the hereinbefore described manner and then be convertcd again to the solid state. By this treatment from the aforesaid masses prodnets are obtained which are suitable for all purposes for which cellulose esters, or celluloid have hitherto been used, namely as substituhtzg for horn amber, or artificial resin s, or uers, or or impregnatin purposes and also for the production of lms, artificial threads, and the like.

These products have the advantage of bemg very fireproof and odorless. By the addition of suitable agents, the strength and hardness of the. products may be modified within wlde limits so that it is possible to manufacture, from the olymerization products, both hard, hornike, substances and soft and more ductile substances. The nature of the polymerization, due to the wave length of the rays of the source of illuminatlou em loyed, has an influence on the properties o the products.

The treatment of the initial material can be carried out in such a manner that it is dissolved and the solvent is again removed by evaporation, or precipitation, of the dissolving substances. In many cases however it is more profitable to use an amount of solvent insuflicient to roduce complete solution, so that soft p astic masses are obtamed which can be pressed, kneaded, rolled or drawn into shape, or formed into blocks. plates, or films.

' The following are examples of numerous possible modes of treatment and uses.

Example IV.

The polymerization product obtained as aforesaid in the sun, ultra violet rays, or the arc li ht, from vinyl chlorid, is dissolved in hot c loro benzene and the solution is poured out in thin layers. These la ers, be-

of sufficient concentration, solidify to a j y and after the evaporation of the solvent, the polymerized vinyl chlorid' remains in the form of a transparent flexible film which will not readily burn.

By suitable additions, the properties of these products can be varied within wide limits. The chloro-benzene can be replaced by other solvents for instance we may use any of the higher chlorinated benzenes, or theirhomolo or any of the halogensubstituted at sea, or e i-chlor-hydrin or other solvents. Unsuitab e, or less suitable, solvents are, for instance, chlorinated ethylene, chloroform, carbon tetra chlorid, carpokl disulfid, alcohol, other, water, and the The solution in chlorobenzene, or in other solvent can also used directly for lacquering, or impregnating.

The product can also be separated by reci itation from a nonesolvent agent an be su jected to any further desired treatment. By squirting it intoa recitpitating bath, artificial threads can be irec y obtained.

Esampla V.

chlorid is in itself plastic under high pressure the solvent can be entirely dispensed with if desired. It is furthermore possible to render the mass either transparent, or translucent and it is possible to render it similar to ivory by the addition of zinc oxid or the like. In this example, as also in Example I the ductility of t e product and facility of manipulation may be increased by a lasticizing agent such as camphor, or cam or substitute.

W96 claim:

1. The process of producing a plastic composition which comprises causing a plurality of molecules of the same vin l ester of an organic acid to combine to 1: er. a

2. The process of produ a plastic composition which comprises po ymerizing the vinyl ester of an organic acid by subjecting it to radiant energy.

3. The process 0 producm a plastic composition which comprises po ymerizing the vinyl ester of an orgamc acid by subjecting it to the action of light rays.

4. The process of producing a plastic composition which comprises polymerizing the vinyl ester of an or anic acid by sub ecting it in admixture wit a diluent to radiant.

ener

5. %he process of producing a plastic composition which-comprises sub'ectmg to the action of light rays the viny ester of an organic acid admixed with a conditioning agent.

6. The process of producing a plastic composition which comprises causing a lurality of molecules of the vin l ester 0 an acetic acid compound to com ine together.

7. The process of producing a plastic composition which comprises polymerizing the vinyl ester of an acetic acid compound by subjecting it to the action of light rays.

8. The process of producing a plastic composition which comprises polymerizing the vinyl ester of an acetic acid compoun by subjecting it in admixture with a diluent to radiant energy.

9. The process of producing a plastic composition which com rises subject to the action of light rays t e vinyl ester 0 in acetic acid compound admixed with a conditioningmtgent.

10.. e process of producin composition which comprises su jecting the vinyl ester of an organic acid admixed with a solvent, to the action of light until some polymerization has been efl'ected, and then removing the solvent.

11. The process of making a non-porous plastic composition which comprises producing an intimate mixture of a polymerized vinyl ester and a solvent there or, shaping the plastic mass so produced, and removing the solvent.

12. The process of making a non-porous plastic composition which comprises roducing an intimate mixture of a polymerized vinyl ester, a solvent therefor and a conditioning agent, shaping the plastic mass so produced, and allowing the solvent to evaporate.

13. As a new material a product comprisingda polymerized vinyl ester of an organic aci 14. As a new material a product comprising a polymerized vinyl ester and being nonporous and amorphous.

15. As a new material a product com rising a polymerized vinyl ester and a di uent therefor, substantially as described.

16. As a. new material a product comprising a polymerized vinyl ester and a conditioning agent, substantially as described.

17. As a new material a product comprising a polymerized vinyl ester, a solvent therefor and a conditioning agent, substantially as described.

18. As a new material a product com rising a polymerized vinyl ester, a so vent therefor, a lasticizing agent and a coloring material, substantially as described.

19. As a new material a product comprising a polymerized vinyl ester of an or nic sold and a diluent therefor, substantia y as described.

20. As a new material a product comprising a polymerized vinyl ester of an organic acid and a conditioning agent, substantially as described.

21. As a new material a roduct comprising a polymerized vinyl r of an organic acid, a solvent therefor and a conditioning agent, substantially as described;

a plastic,

22. As a new material a product compris- V 24. As a new material a product comprising a polymerized vinyl ester of a acetic ing a polymerized vinyl ester of an acetic acid compound and a so vent therefor. acld compound and a conditioning agent, 28. As a new lacquer a mixture comprissubstantially as described. ing a polymerized vinyl ester of an acetic 5 25'. As a new material a product comprisacld compound, a solvent therefor and a 20 ing a polymerized vinvl ester of an acetic non-solvent liquid. acid com and, a solvent therefor and a In testimony whereof we have signed our conditioning agent, substantially as denames to this specification in the presence 1 Ode of two subscribing witnesses. 10 s a new materia a pr uct comprising a polymerized vinyl ester of an acetic acld compound, a solvent therefor, a plus ticiz' agent and a coloring material, substant ifily as described. Jun Gmnm,

27. As a new lacquer a mixture compris- Cm Gxmm. 

